Distance sensor for vehicle with electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A distance sensor for vehicles is provided which includes a sensor device and an electric connector for an electrical connection between the sensor device and a mating connector. The connector includes at least one first terminal pin and at least one second terminal pin. The first terminal pin has a first section leading to the sensor device and a second section extending toward an inlet opening of the connector. The second terminal pin has a first section leading to the sensor device and at least two branched second sections extending toward the inlet opening of the connector. Specifically, the second terminal pin is shaped to provide two-pin plugs, thereby permitting the size of the connector to be reduced, which facilitates ease of installation of the distance sensor to, for example, a bumper of the automotive vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENT

The present application claims the benefits of Japanese PatentApplication No. 2010-79489 filed on Mar. 30, 2010, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1 Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a distance sensor with acompact and easy-to-install structure of an electrical connector whichmay be used with an obstacle detection system for vehicles.

2 Background Art

Ultrasonic sensors are known which are used as automotive distancesensors (also called range sensors) which measure the distance betweenthe vehicle and an obstacle using an ultrasonic wave. Some of modernvehicles such as automobiles are equipped with an obstacle detectorcalled a clearance sonar system for assisting the driver in parking thevehicle. The clearance sonar system has a plurality of ultrasonicsensors (e.g., two installed in a front bumper, and four installed in arear bumper) and works to measure the amount of time required by theultrasonic wave, as transmitted from each of the ultrasonic sensors, totravel to and return from an obstacle and determine the distance betweenthe vehicle and the obstacle based on the measured amount of time. Whensuch a distance decreases below a given value, the clearance sonarsystem alerts the driver by sound.

FIGS. 12( a) and 12(b) illustrate an example of electrical connectionsbetween ultrasonic sensors used in the above type of a clearance sonarsystem. The ultrasonic sensors are connected in series to an electroniccontrol unit (ECU) through harnesses each of which is equipped withground, serial-communication, and power supply cables. Each of theultrasonic sensors has an input and an output terminal (denoted by “IN”and “OUT” in the drawing) to which the power supply cables are joinedfor the daisy-chain connection of the ultrasonic sensors. A connector ofeach of the ultrasonic sensors, therefore, has at least four conductiveterminals. In case of four conductive terminals, the two ground cablesneed to be tied and joined, as indicated by numeral 91, to one of theterminals of the connector. The same applies to the serial-communicationcables. This results in an increase in production cost of the harnesses.In order to avoid this drawback, the connector of the ultrasonic sensormay be, as illustrated in FIG. 12( b), designed to have six conductiveterminals. In this case, a circuit board of the ultrasonic sensor has tohave two electric joints 92.

The above six-terminal structure of the connector is useful for costreduction of the harnesses, but will lead to an increase in overall sizeof a casing 45′ of an ultrasonic sensor 3′, as illustrated in FIG. 13.This also results in increased constraints on installation of theultrasonic sensor 3′ in a bumper 2 of the vehicle. Particularly, itbecomes difficult to insert the casing 45′ into a mount hole 47 of thebumper 2, thus requiring the need for disassembling the ultrasonicsensor 3′ into two parts: a bezel 49′ and the casing 45′. This resultsin an increase in time consumed to fix the ultrasonic sensor 3′ to thebumper 2.

Japanese Patent First Publication No. 6-176822 (corresponding to U.S.Pat. No. 5,516,299 filed on Dec. 7, 1993) discloses the above type of amulti-input connector.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object to provide a compact and/or easy-to-installstructure of a distance sensor for vehicles.

According to one aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a distancesensor which is to be mounted in a vehicle. The distance sensorcomprises: (a) a sensor device which works to transmit a signal andreceive a return of the signal from an object to determine a distance tothe object; (b) a casing in which the sensor device is retained; and (c)an electrical connector joined to the casing, the connector having anopening formed therein and also having a plurality of terminal stripsdisposed therein. At least one of the terminal strips is a firstterminal strip which includes a first section leading to the sensordevice and a second section extending toward the opening for achievingan electric connection with a mating member. At least another one of theterminal strips is a second terminal strip which includes a firstsection leading to the sensor device and at least two branched secondsections extending toward the opening for achieving electric connectionswith the mating member.

Specifically, the second section of the first terminal strip servers asa single plug for achieving the electrical connection with the matingmember such as a connector of a harness, while the second section of thesecond terminal strip provides at least two plugs. This permits theoverall size of the ultrasonic sensor to be reduced, which facilitatesease of installation to, for example, a bumper of an automotive vehicle.

In the preferred mode of the embodiment, the connector may include atleast two first terminal strips each of which has the first sectionleading to the sensor device and the second section extending toward theopening for achieving the electric connection with the mating member.The second sections of the first terminal strips serve as an inputterminal to which electric power is inputted from the mating member andan output terminal from which the electric power is outputted to themating member, respectively. This enables the distance sensor to bedaisy-chain connected to the same type of distance sensors.

The first and second sections of the second terminal strip may be laidto be flush with on the same plane. This permits the second terminalstrip to be made easily by punching a metal plate.

One of the branched second sections of the second terminal strip maydiverge from another of the branched second sections through a band. Thelength of the first section of the first terminal strip is substantiallyidentical with the length of the first section of the second terminalstrip. The first sections of the first and second terminal strips arearrayed on a first plane, and the second section of the first terminalstrip and another of the branched second sections of the second terminalstrip are arrayed on a second plane. The plane extends perpendicular tothe second plane.

The connector may alternatively include a plurality of first terminalstrips each of which includes the first section leading to the sensordevice and the second section extending toward the opening for achievingthe electric connection with the mating member and a plurality of secondterminal strips each of which includes the first section leading to thesensor device and the branched second sections extending toward theopening for achieving the electric connections with the mating member.The second sections of the first and second terminal strips are arrayedin a grid pattern, as viewed from outside the opening of the connector,so that ends of the second sections lie on intersections of horizontaland vertical lines of the grid pattern. This permits the width of theelectrical connector to be decreased as compared with an in-linemulti-pin connector.

The first and second terminal strips may be each formed by punching ametal plate.

The sections of the first and second terminal strips may beinsert-molded with the connector.

The sensor device transmits a signal in the form of a ultrasonic wave.

The connector may alternatively include two first terminal strips eachof which has the first section leading to the sensor device and thesecond section extending toward the opening for achieving the electricconnection with the mating member and two second terminal pins each ofwhich has the first section leading to the sensor device and thebranched second sections extending toward the opening for achieving theelectric connections with the mating member. One of the first terminalstrips has the second section bent into a crank shape to have a straightsection extending over the second section of the other first terminalstrip in parallel thereto. The straight section of the first terminalstrip and one of the branched second sections of each of the secondterminal strips are laid on a first plane. The second section of theother first terminal strip and the other of the branched second sectionsof each of the second terminal strips are laid on a second planeextending substantially parallel to the first plane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood more fully from the detaileddescription given hereinbelow and from the accompanying drawings of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, which, however, should not betaken to limit the invention to the specific embodiments but are for thepurpose of explanation and understanding only.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an automobile equipped with ultrasonic sensorsaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram which illustrates an obstacle detectorequipped with the ultrasonic sensors of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram which illustrates an internal structure of theultrasonic sensors of FIG. 1 and electrical connections therebetween;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic sensor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the ultrasonic sensor of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6( a) is a plan view which illustrates a retainer of the ultrasonicsensor of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6( b) is a front view of FIG. 6( a);

FIG. 6( c) is a partially enlarged view which illustrates claws of theretainer in FIG. 6( a);

FIG. 7( a) is a perspective view which shows an electrical connector ofthe ultrasonic sensor of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7( b) is a plan view of FIG. 7( a);

FIG. 8( a) is a three-angled view which shows a terminal pin of theelectrical connector of FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b);

FIG. 8( b) is a three-angled view which shows a terminal pin of theelectrical connector of FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b);

FIG. 8( c) is a three-angled view which shows a terminal pin of theelectrical connector of FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b);

FIG. 9 (a) is a front view of an electrical connector of the ultrasonicsensor of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 (b) is a front view of a conventional electrical connector;

FIGS. 10( a) and 10(b) are views which demonstrate steps of installingthe ultrasonic sensor of FIG. 4 to a bumper of an automotive vehicle;

FIGS. 11( a) and 11(b) are views which demonstrate steps of installingthe ultrasonic sensor of FIG. 4 to a bumper of an automotive vehicle;

FIGS. 12( a) and 12(b) are plan views which show examples of daisy-chainconnections of conventional electrical connectors; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view which shows installation of a conventionalultrasonic sensor to a bumper of an automotive vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to likeparts in several views, particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown anautomotive obstacle detector 100 according to the first embodiment whichis implemented by a clearance sonar system. The obstacle detector 100are equipped with two front ultrasonic sensors 3 a and 3 b attached toleft and right corners of a front bumper 2 of a motor vehicle 1 andthree rear ultrasonic sensors 3 c, 3 d, 3 e, and 3 f attached to leftand right corners and a middle portion of a rear bumper 4. Theseultrasonic sensors will also be generally referred to by numeral 3below. When a given condition is encountered, the ultrasonic sensor 3 isactivated to transmit a radar wave in the form of an ultrasonic waveoutward of the vehicle 1 and receive a return thereof (i.e., a radarecho) from an obstacle 5 to determine the distance between the vehicle 1and the obstacle 5. When the distance to the obstacle 5 becomes smallerthan a given value, the obstacle detector 100 alerts the driver of thevehicle 1 by sound.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagraph of the obstacle detector 100. In operation,when a main switch 7 of the obstacle detector 100 is placed in anon-state, and an ignition switch 6 is turned on by the driver, electricpower is supplied from a battery 12 to a control circuit 11 through apower supply circuit 8. Buzzers 15 and 16 are also placed in a standbystate. The buzzer 15 is connected to the front ultrasonic sensors 3 aand 3 b through a buzzer circuit 13. Similarly, the buzzer 16 isconnected to the rear ultrasonic sensors 3 c, 3 d, 3 e, and 3 f througha buzzer circuit 14. When the driver places a shift lever of anautomatic transmission of the vehicle 1 in a position other than aparking (P)position, a start switch 17 is turned on, so that theobstacle detector 10 starts to operate. When the driver places the shiftlever in a reverse (R) position, a backup lamp 18 is turned on to bringonly the rear ultrasonic sensors 3 c, 3 d, 3 d, and 3 f into theoperable state. The obstacle detector 100 also includes a vehicle speedsensor 19 which measures the speed of the vehicle 1 and is placed in theoperable state only when the measured speed of the vehicle is less than,for example, 10 km/h. The obstacle detector 100 is placed in theinoperable state when the parking brake of the vehicle 1 is actuated. Aparking brake switch 21 is used to monitor the operating state of theobstacle detector 100. When the parking brake is actuated, a parkingbrake lamp 22 is turned on to inform the driver of such a fact. Thebackup lamp 18, the vehicle speed sensor 19, the parking brake switch21, and the parking brake lamp 22 are electrically connected to thecontrol circuit 11 through interfaces 23, 24, and 25. Optionalperipheral devices associated with the obstacle detector 100 are to beconnected to the control circuit 11 through interfaces 26, 27, and 28.

The ultrasonic sensors 3 a to 3 f are, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2,connected electrically to the ECU 9. Specifically, the front ultrasonicsensor 3 a mounted in the left corner (i.e., a front passenger side) ofthe front bumper 2 is connected to a ground (GND) terminal 31 a, a frontserial-communication terminal 32 a, and a power supply terminal 33 athrough a harness 29 a. The front ultrasonic sensor 3 b mounted in theright corner (i.e., a driver's side) of the front bumper 2 is connectedin series with the front ultrasonic sensor 3 a through a harness 29 b.Similarly, the rear ultrasonic sensor 3 c mounted in the left corner ofthe rear bumper 4 is connected to a ground (GND) terminal 31 b, a rearserial-communication terminal 32 b, and a power supply terminal 33 bthrough a harness 29 c. The rear ultrasonic sensors 3 d, 3 e, and 3 fmounted in the middle portion and the right corner of the rear bumper 4are sequentially connected in series with the rear ultrasonic sensor 3 cthrough harnesses 29 d, 29 e, and 29 f, respectively.

The electric connections between the front ultrasonic sensors 3 a and 3b mounted in the front bumper 2 will be described below with referenceto FIG. 3.

The front ultrasonic sensors 3 a and 3 b have power supply input (IN)terminals 34 a and 34 b and power supply output (OUT) terminals 35 a and35 b, respectively. The power supply input terminal 34 a of theultrasonic sensor 3 a is coupled to the power supply terminal 33 a ofthe ECU 9. The power supply output terminal 35 a of the ultrasonicsensor 3 a is coupled to the power supply input terminal 34 b of theultrasonic sensor 3 b in the form of the daisy chain connection. Each ofthe ultrasonic sensors 3 a and 3 b is equipped with a power supplycircuit made up of a regulator 37 and an FET (Field-Effect Transistor)38, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 36. Theregulator 37 of the ultrasonic sensor 3 a is disposed between a powersupply terminal Vdd of the ASIC 36 and the power supply input terminal34 a. The FET 38 of the ultrasonic sensor 3 a is disposed among a SWcontrol terminal of the ASIC 36, the power supply input terminal 34 a,and the power supply output terminal 35 a. Similarly, the regulator 37of the ultrasonic sensor 3 b is disposed between a power supply terminalVdd of the ASIC 36 and the power supply input terminal 34 b. The FET 38of the ultrasonic sensor 3 b is disposed among a SW control terminal ofthe ASIC 36, the power supply input terminal 34 b, and the power supplyoutput terminal 35 b. The FETs 38 work to establish or block the supplyof electric power to the ultrasonic sensors 3 a and 3 b.

When it is required to mount an additional ultrasonic sensor in, forexample, the front bumper 2, it is electrically connected, as indicatedby broken lines in FIG. 3, to the ultrasonic sensor 3 b. The rearultrasonic sensors 3 c to 3 f are connected to one another in the samemanner as the front ultrasonic sensors 3 a and 3 b, and explanationthereof in detail will be omitted here. The ultrasonic sensors 3 a, 3 b,3 c, 3 d, 3 e, and 3 f are identical in structure with each other, andthe following discussion will, therefore, be referred to only one ofthem, as generally indicated by numeral 3.

The structure of the ultrasonic sensor 3 will be described below withreference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The ultrasonic sensor 3 includes a sensor device 41, a rubber-madecushion 42, a sensor holder 43, an electrical connector 44, a casing 45,and a bezel 49. The sensor holder 43, the connector 44, the casing 45,and the bezel 49 are made of resin. The sensor device 41 is of acylindrical shape and equipped with a microphone which outputs anultrasonic wave outward of the vehicle 1 and receives a return thereoffrom an object. The cushion 42 is disposed around the sensor device 41.The sensor holder 43 retains thereon the cushion 42 in which the sensordevice 41 is mounted. The electric connector 44 is, as will be describedlater in detail, designed as a six-pin plug in this embodiment for anelectrical connection with a connector (not shown) of one of theharnesses 29 a to 29 f. The casing 45 is formed integrally with thesensor holder 43 and the connector 44. The connector 44 mayalternatively be joined indirectly to the body of the casing 45. Thebezel 49 includes a hollow cylinder 46 fit on the sensor holder 43 ofthe casing 45 and a flange 48 which extends radially from an end of thecylinder 46. The flange 48 is, as illustrated in FIGS. 10( a) and 10(b), greater in diameter than mount holes 47 formed in the front andrear bumpers 2 and 4. The ultrasonic sensor 3 also includes a retainer54 and a ring 55. The retainer 54 has an annular base 51, arms 52, andclaws 53. The base 51 is engaged with snap-fit retainer claws 59, aswill be described later in detail, of the bezel 49. The arms 52 extendfrom an end of the base 51 in an axial direction of the base 51. Theclaws 53 are triangular protrusions bulging radially outward of ends ofthe arms 52, respectively. The ring 55 is disposed in a clearancebetween an outer periphery of a top portion of the sensor device 41protruding from an upper end of the cushion 42 and an inner periphery ofthe cylinder 46 of the bezel 49 when the sensor device 41 is disposedwithin the cylinder 46 of the bezel 49.

The cushion 42 has formed on a peripheral surface thereof two halfcolumn-shaped protrusions 42 a which are opposed diametrically to eachother. The sensor device 41 has two protrusions 41 a which are fit inrecesses formed in back surfaces of the protrusions 42 a of the cushion42 to hold the sensor device 41 from turning within the cushion 42.

The bezel 49 is, as described above, equipped with the cylinder 46 andthe ring-shaped flange 48 extending from the end of the cylinder 46outwardly. The cylinder 46 has the inner diameter which is slightlygreater than the outer diameter of the cushion 42 and is fit on theperiphery of the sensor holder 43 of the casing 45. The cylinder 46 hassnap-fit tabs 56, half pipe-like protrusions 58, and the retainer claws59 formed on the outer periphery thereof. The snap-fit tabs 56 extend inan axial direction of the cylinder 46 and engage claws 57 of the casing45 to establish a firm joint between the bezel 49 and the casing 45. Theprotrusions 58 project from the outer periphery of the cylinder 46 andare fit on bulges 43 a of the sensor holder 43 together with theprotrusions 42 a of the cushion 42. The retainer claws 59 protrude fromthe cylinder 46 and are snap-fit on the base 51 of the retainer 54. Thebulges 43 a of the sensor holder 43 extend vertically of the sensorholder 43 and are of an Ti-shape in cross section. In other words, eachof the bulges 43 a has an U-shaped groove formed in an inner wall of thesensor holder 43. Each of the bulges 43 a may alternatively be designedto have an inner surface lying flush with the inner surface of thesensor holder 43. Each of the protrusions 41 a of the sensor device 41is fit in the inside recess of a corresponding one of the protrusions 42a of the cushion 42. Each of the protrusions 42 a of the cushion 42 isplaced on an upper end of a corresponding one of the bulges 43 a of thesensor holder 43. Each of the protrusions 58 of the bezel 49 is fitover, in other words, covers a corresponding one of the bulges 43 a incontact therewith, thereby positioning or holding the cushion 42 alongwith the sensor device 41 from turning in the circumferential directionof the sensor holder 43. The upper end of each of the protrusions 42 aplaced on the bulge 43 a in vertical alignment therewith is in abutmentwith an inner upper end of the protrusion 58, in other words, each ofthe protrusions 42 a is nipped between the inner upper end of theprotrusion 58 and the bulge 43 a tightly, thereby positioning thecushion 42 along with the sensor device 41 relative to the sensor holder43.

The retainer 54 has, as described above, the tuning-fork like four arms52 extending from the end of the base 52 upward, as viewed in FIGS. 4,5, and 6 (b), in the axial direction of the retainer 54. Each of thearms 52 has the two claws 53 formed on the top end thereof. Each of theclaws 53 serves as a thin-walled hook. The two claws 53 of each of thearms 52 extend outward, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6 (a), in theform of a V-shape, as viewed from the axial direction of the retainer54. The outer diameter of an imaginary circle C, as passing throughoutermost tops of the claws 53, is set greater than the inner diameterof the mount hole 47. The angle •, as illustrated in FIG. 6( c), whichinside faces of the two claws 53 of each of the arms 52 make with eachother is preferably within a range of 70° to 90°. Each of the claws 53is substantially triangular in shape, as viewed from a directionperpendicular to the axis of the retainer 54, and has, as clearlyillustrated in FIG. 6 (b), upper and lower ridges with slant surfaces 53a and 53 b. The slant surface 53 a faces upward, as viewed in thedrawing, while the slant surface 53 b faces downward. Each of the arms52 has a central vertical slit 61 which extends through the middle ofthe width thereof, as viewed in a circumferential direction of theretainer 54. In other words, the slit 61 extends in a lengthwisedirection of the arm 52 between the claws 53 to the annular base 51 ofthe retainer 54, thereby forming the claws 53 to be separate completelyfrom each other at bases thereof (i.e., lower ends of the claws 53). Theannular base 51 has, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6 (c), formed in aninner circumference thereof recesses defining thin-walled portions 63near the lower ends of the slits 61. When the retainer 54 is insertedinto one of the mount holes 47 of the front and rear bumpers 2 and 4,the claws 53 of each of the arms 52 are elastically deformed or bent atthe bases thereof in directions, as indicated by 62 in FIG. 6( c),toward the axis (i.e., the center) of the retainer 54. The slit 61 andthe thin-walled portion 61 facilitate the ease of the elasticdeformation of the claws 53.

The annular base 51 of the retainer 54 has formed in the bottom thereofrecesses 64 to achieve snap-fits with the retainer claws 59 of the bezel49. Specifically, each of the claws 59 engages a corresponding one ofthe recesses 64 to establish a firm joint between the bezel 49 and theretainer 54. This minimizes the transmission of stress to the casing 45when the ultrasonic sensor 3 is installed in the mount hole 47, therebydecreasing the possibility of damage to the casing 45.

The casing 45 has, as described above, the hollow cylindrical sensorholder 43 which retains therein the sensor device 41 fit in the cushion42. The sensor holder 43 has formed thereon the bulges 43 a on which theprotrusions 42 a of the cushion 42 are placed. The protrusions 58 of thebezel 49 are fit on the bulges 43 a of the sensor holder 43, therebyholding the cushion 42 from rotating relative to the sensor holder 43.The sensor holder 43 has formed on a lower portion thereof the claws 57which create snap-fits with the snap-fit tubs 56 of the bezel 49.

The casing 45 has the connector 44 which has a given length extendinghorizontally. The connector 44 extends from a side surface of the sensorholder 43 perpendicular to the axis of the sensor holder 43.

The structure of the electrical connector 44 will be described below indetail with reference to FIGS. 7 (a) to 8 (c).

The connector 44 is engineered as a multi-pin plug equipped with aplurality of terminal pins 65 to 67 (a total of four pins in thisembodiment). The terminal pins 65 to 67 are made of conductive stripsfor electrical connections with holes of the connector of one of theharnesses 29 a to 29 f. In this embodiment, the connector 44 is designedas a six-pin plug using the four terminal pins 65 to 67. The terminalpins 65 to 67 are insert-molded with the resinous casing 45. Theterminal pins 65 to 67 are bent, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 8 (a)to 8(c), at middle portions 65 a, 66 a, and 67 a thereof to have asubstantially L-shaped length. The two terminal pins 65 and 66 are, ascan be seen from FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b), different in shape from eachother and will also be referred to as first terminal pins below. Thefirst terminal pin 65 has an upright section 65 b and a horizontalsection 65 c. The first terminal pin 66 has an upright section 66 b anda horizontal section 66 c. The upright sections 65 b and 66 b of thefirst terminal pints 65 and 66, as can be seen in FIG. 8( a), extendthrough a shell of the connector 44 downward, as viewed in FIGS. 5 and8( a), and connect with a sensor control circuit board (not shown) onwhich the regulator 37, the EFT 38, the ASIC 36, etc., as alreadydescribed in FIG. 3, are fabricated. The sensor control circuit board isdisposed on or in the bottom of the connector 44 (i.e., the casing 45).The sensor device 41 is also joined electrically to the sensor controlcircuit board within the casing 45. The horizontal sections 65 c and 66c of the first terminal pins 65 and 66 extend parallel to the length ofthe connector 44 within the shell of the connector 44 toward an opening48 of the connector 44 for electrical connections with one of theharnesses 29 a to 29 f. The sections 65 c and 66 c are used as the inputand output terminals 34 a and 35 a (or 34 b and 35 b), as illustrated inFIG. 3, to and from electric power is inputted and outputted.

The two terminal pins 67 are identical in shape with each other and willalso be referred to as second terminal pins below. The second terminalpins 67 are, as illustrated in FIG. 3, used as the ground (GND) andserial-communication terminals of the ultrasonic sensor 3. Each of thesecond terminal pins 67, as illustrated in FIG. 8 (c), has an uprightsection 67 b and two horizontal sections 67 c which are so formed as tohave a lower-case “h” shape. The section 67 b of each of the secondterminal pins 67, like the upright sections 65 b and 66 b of the firstterminal pins 65 and 66, extends through the shell of the connector 45and connects electrically with the sensor control circuit board, whilethe horizontal sections 67 c extend parallel to the length of theconnector 44 toward the opening 48 of the connector 44 for electricalconnections with one of the harnesses 29 a to 29 f. The sections 65 b,66 b and 67 b (which will also be referred to as first sections below)extend substantially parallel to each other on the same plane. Thesections 65 c, 66 c, and 67 c (which will also be referred to as secondsections below) extend perpendicular to the sections 65 b, 66 b, and 67b in this embodiment, but may extend so as to traverse the lengths ofthe sections 65 b, 66 b, and 67 b, respectively, at an angle other than90°.

The first terminal pin 65 is, as illustrated in FIG. 8 (a), bent atright angles into an L-shape which is made up of the upright andhorizontal sections 65 b and 65 c with tapered tips. The first terminalpin 65 is made by punching a metal plate which is already folded into anL-shape in cross section and has a thickness t using a press. Thedirection in which the first terminal pin 65 is punched out from theL-shaped metal plate is indicated by “P” in FIG. 8 (a). The firstterminal pin 65, therefore, has punched side surfaces 65 d which extendperpendicular to the direction P and have a fine roughness. The sidesurfaces 65 d serve as electric contacts with the connector of one ofthe harnesses 29 a to 29 f. The length of the upright section 65 b ofthe first terminal pin 65 is expressed by L1, and that of the horizontalsection 65 c is expressed by L2. The same applies, as indicated in FIGS.8 (b) and 8 (c), to the pin terminals 66 and 67.

The first terminal pin 66 is, as can be seen from FIG. 8 (b), bent intoa crank-shape. The sections of the first terminal pin 66, as suffixedwith the same characters as in FIG. 8 (a), are identical in structuralfunction with those of the first terminal pin 65. The first terminal pin66 is made by punching a metal plate which is already folded into anL-shape and has a thickness t to form an L-shaped strip similar in shapeto the first terminal pin 65 and then bending the L-shaped strip, as canbe seen in FIG. 8 (b), twice horizontally at portions 66 e at rightangles into a crank-shape, thereby completing the first terminal pin 66.Specifically, the first terminal pin 66 has the L-shape made up of theupright and horizontal sections 66 b and 66 c. The horizontal section 66c is folded into the crank-shape on a plane extending perpendicular tothe length of the upright section 66 b to form three sections 601, 602,and 603. The length L3 of the upright section 66 b (i.e., the height ofthe second terminal pin 66) that is the distance between the tip of theupright section 66 b and the bend 66 a is smaller than the length L1 ofthe upright section 65 b of the first terminal pin 65. The length L2 ofthe horizontal section 66 c (i.e., the distance between the bend 66 aand the tip of the horizontal section 66 c) is identical with the lengthL2 of the horizontal section 65 c of the first terminal pin 65. Thesection 601 extends substantially parallel to the section 602. Thesection 603 extends perpendicular to the sections 601 and 602. Thesection 602 is located away from the section 601 in a direction parallelto the section 603 by the length of the section 603, so that the section602 extends, as illustrated in FIG. 8( a), over and parallel to thehorizontal section 65 c of the first terminal pin 65 within the shell ofthe connector 44.

The second terminal pins 67 are, as described above, identical instructure with each other. The sections of the second terminal pin 67,as suffixed with the same characters as in FIGS. 8( a) and 8 (b), areidentical in structural function with those of the first terminal pins65 and 66. Specifically, the second terminal pin 67 is bent at rightangles at a portion 67 a to form the upright section 67 b and thebranched horizontal sections 67 c. A lower one of the two horizontalsections 67 c, as viewed in FIG. 8( c), will also be referred to as alower section below, while an upper one of the horizontal sections 67 cwill also be referred to as an upper section below. The lower section 67c is identical in shape with the horizontal section 65 c of the firstterminal pin 65. The upper section 67 c diverges from a middle portionof the length of the lower section 67 c and servers as a branchconductive terminal. The upper section 67 c is made up of an uprightsection 67 e and a horizontal section 67 f extending substantiallyperpendicular to the upright section 67 e. The upright section 67 eextends substantially parallel to the upright section 67 b. Thehorizontal section 67 f extends substantially parallel to the lowersection 67 c. The upper and lower sections 67 c, as can be seen in FIG.7( a), serve as branch conductive pins and lay on a plane extendingthrough the upright section 67 b. The second terminal pin 67 is, as isclear from the above, designed as a two-pin terminal.

The length L1 of the upright section 67 b is identical with that of theupright section 65 b of the first terminal pin 65. The length L4 of theupright section 67 e that is the interval between the upper and lowersections 67 c is equal to the length L1 minus the length L3 of theupright section 66 b of the first terminal pin 66 (i.e., L4=L1−L3).

The length L2 of the lower section 67 c of the second terminal pin 67 isidentical with those of the horizontal sections 65 c and 66 c of thefirst terminal pins 65 and 66.

As described above, the upright sections 65 a, 66 b, and 67 b of thefirst and second terminal pins 65, 66, and 67, as illustrated in FIG. 7(a), pass vertically through the shell of the connector 44 (i.e., thebottom wall of the casing 45) and are arrayed to be flush with eachother on a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the length ofthe connector 44 (i.e., parallel to the axis of the sensor holder 43).The horizontal sections 65 c and 67 c of the first and second terminalpins 65 and 67 extend horizontally to be flush with each other on aplane extending substantially parallel to the length of the connector44. Similarly, the upper sections 67 f of the second terminal pins 67and the horizontal section 66 c of the first terminal pin 66 extendhorizontally to be flush with each other on a plane extendingsubstantially parallel to the length of the connector 44.

The connector 44 is made by resin, for example, using the injectionmolding techniques. The terminal pins 65, 66, and 67 are insert-moldedwith the connector 44.

The ultrasonic sensor 3 of this embodiment and the prior art ultrasonicsensor 3′ will be compared below with reference to FIGS. 9 (a) and 9(b). The components of the prior art ultrasonic sensor 3′ correspondingto those of the ultrasonic sensor 3 are denoted by the same referencenumbers suffixed with “′”. The bezel 49′ of the prior art ultrasonicsensor 3′, as illustrated in FIG. 9 (b), is equipped with a metal spring53′. The metal spring 53′ has one end secured to the ultrasonic sensor3′ and the other end which is to be stretched when the ultrasonic sensor3′ is inserted into the mount hole 47 of the bumper 2 or 4. Thestretching of the other end of the metal spring 53′ may result inplastic deformation of the metal spring 53′.

The ultrasonic sensor 3 of this embodiment includes the retainer 54 madeof resin that is an elastically deformable material. The retainer 54, asdescribed above, has the arms 52 with the claws 53. When the ultrasonicsensor 3 is inserted into the mount hole of the bumper 2 or 4, the arms52 are deformed along with the claws 53 toward the longitudinal centerline of the retainer 54 (i.e., the center of the annular base 52). Eachof the claws 53 is shaped like a resinous thin plate and is, therefore,hardly subjected to the plastic deformation and requires a littlepressure to mount the ultrasonic sensor 3 in the bumper 2 or 4.

The connector 44′ of the prior art ultrasonic sensor 3′ is an in-linesix-pin plug with six terminal pins 65′ arrayed horizontally in line,thus resulting in an increase in width W′. Each of the terminal pins 65′has upper and lower surfaces as electric contacts with a socket of amating connector and is, thus, equipped with upper and lower lances 68′for achieving a firm joint with the mating connector. This results in anincrease in height H′ of the connector 44 including the lances.

The ultrasonic sensor 3 of this embodiment is, as can be seen from FIG.9 (a), designed as a two-line six-pin plug equipped with two arrays eachof which has three contact pins. Specifically, the ultrasonic sensor 3includes the four terminal pins 65, 66, and 67 which are arrayed andshaped to have six contact pins arranged in a grid pattern. In otherwords, the ends of the six contact pins (i.e., sections 65 c, 66 c, and67 c) lie on intersections of vertical and horizontal lines of the gridpattern, as viewed from the opening 48 of the connector 44 in thelengthwise direction (i.e., the axial direction) of the connector 44.Each of the terminal pins 65, 66, and 67 has the side surfaces that areto establish electrical contacts with the socket of one of the harnesses29 a to 29 f, thus permitting, as illustrated in FIG. 9 (a), the sidewalls of the connector 44 to have lances 68 without the need forincreasing the width W of the connector 44. The lances 68 are formed onthe side walls of the connector 44, thus not increasing the height H ofthe connector 44. This facilitates the ease of inserting the connector44 into the mount hole 47 of the bumper 2 or 4.

The installation of the ultrasonic sensor 3 in the mount hole 47 of, forexample, the bumper 2 will be described below with reference to FIGS.10( a) to 11 (b).

The ultrasonic sensor 3 into which the sensor device 41, the bezel 49,the retainer 54, the casing 45, etc., are assembled is, as illustratedin FIG. 10 (a), inserted at the connector 44 into the mount hole 47. Theconnector 44 of the ultrasonic sensor 3 is, as described above, designedas a six-pin plug using the four terminal pins 65 to 67 and, thus, asillustrated in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), has the width W and the height Hsmaller than the width W′ and the height H′ of the conventionalultrasonic sensor 3′, respectively, thus facilitating the ease ofinsertion of the connector 44 into the mount hole 47.

When the connector 44 of the casing 45, as illustrated in FIG. 10 (b),has passed through the mount hole 47 of the bumper 2, the ultrasonicsensor 3 is tilted and rotated to insert the sensor holder 43 throughthe mount hole 47 until the annular base 51 of the retainer 54 passesthrough the mount hole 47, and the slant surfaces 53 b of the claws 53of the retainer 54, as illustrated in FIG. 11 (a), hit an outside inneredge 47 a of the mount hole 47. Subsequently, the ultrasonic sensor 3 ispushed to thrust the claws 53 into the mount hole 47, thus causing thearms 52 to be elastically deformed inwardly of the annular base 51(i.e., toward the axis of the retainer 54, as indicated by the arrows 62in FIG. 6( c)) to permit the claws 53 a to pass through the mount hole47. The slits 61 formed in the arms 52 and the thin-walled portions 63of the annular base 51 facilitate the elastic deformation of the arms 52and the passage of the claws 53 a through the mount hole 47. The elasticdeformation of the arms 52 results in a decreased diameter of the circleC, as illustrated in FIG. 6( a), passing through outermost tops of theclaws 53, so that it becomes smaller than the inner diameter of themount hole 47, thereby permitting the retainer 54 to pass through themount hole 47. The surfaces 53 b of the ridges of the claws 53 are, asdescribed above, inclined relative to the longitudinal center line ofthe retainer 54 (i.e., the direction in which the bezel 49 and theretainer 54 are inserted into the mount hole 47), thus facilitating theinsertion of the ultrasonic sensor 3 through the mount hole 47.

When the outermost tops of the claws 53 have passed through an insideinner edge 47 b of the mount hole 47, as illustrated in FIG. 11 (b), theslant surfaces 53 a of the ridges of the claws 53 slide inwardly of themount hole 47 along the inside inner edge 47 b, so that the claws 53(i.e., the arms 52) expand elastically outward in directions oppositethe directions C in FIG. 6( c). When the flange 48 of the bezel 49 hitagainst the outside surface of the bumper 2 around the mount hole 47,the claws 53 are returned to original positions thereof, and the slantsurfaces 53 a of the claws 53, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 11(b), are placed in abutting contact with the inside inner edge 47 b ofthe mount hole 47, thereby nipping the wall of the bumper 2 tightlybetween the slant surfaces 53 a of the claws 53 of the retainer 54 andthe flange 48 of the bezel 49. The ridges of the claws 53 of theretainer 54 which are closer to the flange 49 (i.e., the surfaces 53 aof the claws 53) are inclined inwardly from outside to inside the mounthole 47 of the bumper 2. Consequently, the elasticity of the claws 53and the arms 52 serve to hold the wall of the bumper 2 between thesurfaces 53 a of the claws 53 and the inside surface of the flange 47tightly. This absorbs an error of thickness of the bumper 2 and achievesthe tight fit of the ultrasonic sensor 3 in the mount hole 47. Theremovable of the ultrasonic sensor 3 from the mount hole 47 of thebumper 2 is achieved by pulling the bezel 49 outward in the axialdirection of the retainer 54 to elastically contract the claws 53 inwardof the retainer 54.

As apparent from the above discussion, the installation or removal ofthe ultrasonic sensor 3 into or from the mount hole 47 is accomplishedeasier than the conventional ultrasonic sensor 3′. The connection of oneof the harnesses 29 a to 29 f to the ultrasonic sensor 3 may be achievedby passing the connector (not shown) of the one of the harnesses 29 a to29 f from inside to outside the mount hole 47 of the bumper 2, joiningthe connector 44 of the ultrasonic sensor 3 to the connector of the oneof the harnesses 29 a to 29 f outside the bumper 2, and fitting theultrasonic sensor 3 into the mount hole 47 in the manner, as describedabove.

The casing 45, the sensor holder 43, and the connector 44 of theultrasonic sensor 3 may alternatively be formed as discrete members.

The bezel 48 and the connector 44 of the casing 45 are so oriented as tohave lengths thereof extending perpendicular to each other, but mayalternatively be made to have the lengths traversing each other at agiven angle other than 90°.

The above described structure may also be used with range sensors usingoptical or electromagnetic devices other than ultrasonic devices.

The ultrasonic sensor 3 may be installed in vehicles other than wheeledvehicles.

The first terminal pins 65 and 66 of each of the ultrasonic sensors 3are, as described above, used as a power supply input terminal and apower supply output terminal, but however, alternatively be designed assignal input and output terminals into and from which signals areinputted from and outputted to the ECU 9.

The ultrasonic sensor 3 may also be designed to have at least one of thefirst terminal pins 65 and 66 and at least one of the second terminalpins 67. Either one of the second terminal pins 67 may have at least twobranched pins (i.e., the second sections 67 c.

While the present invention has been disclosed in terms of the preferredembodiment in order to facilitate better understanding thereof, itshould be appreciated that the invention can be embodied in various wayswithout departing from the principle of the invention. Therefore, theinvention should be understood to include all possible embodiments andmodifications to the shown embodiment witch can be embodied withoutdeparting from the principle of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

1. A distance sensor which is to be mounted in a vehicle comprising: asensor device which works to transmit a signal and receive a return ofthe signal from an object to determine a distance to the object; acasing in which the sensor device is retained; and an electricalconnector joined to the casing, the connector having an opening formedtherein and also having a plurality of terminal strips disposed therein,at least one of the terminal strips being a first terminal strip whichincludes a first section leading to the sensor device and a secondsection extending toward the opening for achieving an electricconnection with a mating member, at least another one of the terminalstrips being a second terminal strip which includes a first sectionleading to the sensor device and at least two branched second sectionsextending toward the opening for achieving electric connections with themating member.
 2. A distance sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein theconnector includes at least two first terminal strips each of which hasthe first section leading to the sensor device and the second sectionextending toward the opening for achieving the electric connection withthe mating member, and wherein the second sections of the first terminalstrips serve as an input terminal to which electric power is inputtedfrom the mating member and an output terminal from which the electricpower is outputted to the mating member, respectively.
 3. A distancesensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second sections ofthe second terminal strip are laid to be flush with on the same plane.4. A distance sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of thebranched second sections of the second terminal strip diverges fromanother of the branched second sections through a band, wherein a lengthof the first section of the first terminal strip is substantiallyidentical with a length of the first section of the second terminalstrip, and wherein the first sections of the first and second terminalstrips are arrayed on a first plane, and the second section of the firstterminal strip and another of the branched second sections of the secondterminal strip are arrayed on a second plane, the first plane extendingperpendicular to the second plane.
 5. A distance sensor as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the connector includes a plurality of first terminalstrips each of which includes the first section leading to the sensordevice and the second section extending toward the opening for achievingthe electric connection with the mating member and a plurality of secondterminal strips each of which includes the first section leading to thesensor device and the branched second sections extending toward theopening for achieving the electric connections with the mating member,and wherein the second sections of the first and second terminal stripsare arrayed in a grid pattern, as viewed from outside the opening of theconnector, so that ends of the second sections lie on intersections ofhorizontal and vertical lines of the grid pattern.
 6. A distance sensoras set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second terminal stripsare each formed by punching a metal plate.
 7. A distance sensor as setforth in claim 1, wherein the first sections of the first and secondterminal strips are insert-molded with the connector.
 8. A distancesensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor device transmits asignal in the form of a ultrasonic wave.
 9. A distance sensor as setforth in claim 1, wherein the connector includes two first terminalstrips each of which has the first section leading to the sensor deviceand the second section extending toward the opening for achieving theelectric connection with the mating member and two second terminal pinseach of which has the first section leading to the sensor device and thebranched second sections extending toward the opening for achieving theelectric connections with the mating member, wherein one of the firstterminal strips has the second section bent into a crank shape to have astraight section extending over the second section of the other firstterminal strip in parallel thereto, and wherein the straight section ofthe first terminal strip and one of the branched second sections of eachof the second terminal strips are laid on a first plane, and the secondsection of the other first terminal strip and the other of the branchedsecond sections of each of the second terminal strips are laid on asecond plane extending substantially parallel to the first plane.